“There’s nothing to fess up to,” I hiss through my teeth, standing. “This is all bullshit!”
Without thinking, I grab a nearby pillow and hurl it across the room in a fit of rage. The force of the impact knocks a fragile vase off a side table. It shatters into a thousand pieces on the floor.
“Shit,” I murmur, realizing what I’ve done.
In my frenzied state, I rush to clean up the shards of glass. But then, as I gather the scattered remnants, I accidentally cut my hand on a sharp shard.
A single drop of blood drips onto the floor, staining my white carpet.
Finally, defeated and emotionally drained, I collapse onto my knees on the floor, my tears flowing freely. Right now, I feel like the vase: broken, shattered, and angry.
However, as I sit there, sobbing, a sound breaks through the silence.
It’s my phone ringing on the coffee table.
I sigh, wiping away the lingering tears, and drag myself up from the floor. As I approach the phone, I catch a glimpse of my disheveled reflection in the glass of the table, and I quickly run my fingers through my hair, trying to regain some semblance of composure.
Then I see it: it’s Karl, FaceTiming me.
I hesitate for a moment, taking in the name on the screen. For a moment, I consider not answering; but I know Karl, and I know he’ll just keep trying until I finally cave. Sighing, I wipe my tears away with my sleeve and swipe to answer. I’m met with his concerned face.
“Hey,” I say, my voice shaky despite my attempts to sound normal.
Karl’s brow furrows as he studies my face. “I saw the news,” he says without preamble. “Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.”
He doesn’t buy it, not even for an instant. “I can tell you’ve been crying, Abby. Talk to me.”
“I don’t want to distract you,” I interrupt.
But he shakes his head. “That’s not what I was saying. I’m trying to say that, no matter what, I’m here for you. And if you need to come here, don’t let this election or anything else stop you. Just say the word and I’ll do whatever I can.”
His words make me soften. For a moment, we just look at each other, and I can feel my heart skip as I look into his soft brown eyes. Even through the phone screen, they look clear and gentle as ever.
I’m just about to open my mouth to say something, to tell him that I want to leave and come stay with him.
But before I can utter a word, a sudden noise outside catches my attention. Someone is knocking on my back door. I rush over to the kitchen window that looks out into the alley and peek through the blinds, my eyes widening as I see a police car parked out back.
I quickly turn back to the screen, my heart pounding. “Karl, I have to go,” I say, my voice trembling.
He looks at me, concern etched into his features. He opens his mouth to say something, but before he can, I’m already hanging up the phone.
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The readers' comments on the novel: Chasing His Kickass Luna Back
Please more updates! I hope Abby gets her happy ending with Karl. I SEE how his chanced and he knows that Abby needs to be her own person too....